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29th May 1940On this day:
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Remembering those who died this day.
- Adams Charles William. Trooper (d.29th May 1940)
- Casper James. L/Sgt. (d.29th May 1940)
- Costall John Joseph Allen. Pte. (d.29th May 1940)
- Davies Thomas Henry. Cpl. (d.29th May 1940)
- Gale Authur Patrick. Capt. (d.29th May 1940)
- Hackney Herbert Branwell. PO (d.29th May 1940)
- Jones Harold Edwin. L/Bmdr (d.29th May 1940)
- Laidler Richard Henry. Sgt. (d.29th May 1940)
- Lisney Joseph Frank. L/Cpl. (d.29th May 1940)
- Milne John Robert. Pte. (d.29th May 1940)
- Page Harry. Sgt. (d.29th May 1940)
- Reid Robert Fraser. 2nd Lt (d.29th May 1940)
- Sinclair Stephen Powell Mackie. Able Sea. (d.29th May 1940)
- Small William. L/Cpl. (d.29th May 1940)
- Stammers Arthur Huggins . Dvr. (d.29th May 1940)
- Wood Ian Hamilton. Gnr. (d.29th May 1940)
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
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Want to know more about the 29th of May 1940? There are:67 items tagged 29th of May 1940 available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Stories from 29th May 1940
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L/Cpl William Evan Phillips. British Army, 1st Battalion. Welsh Guards. This is a letter recived by my late mother from the father of Second Lieutenant C N Jenson 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, about the capture of my late father Lance Corporal W.E. Phillips 1st Battalion Welsh Guards.
Letter dated 25.06.1940
The following account of the events of Wednesday 29th May 1940 leading up to the time when my son Second Lieut. C.N.Jenson, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards and the nine men with him at the end were last seen is the result of exhaustive enquiries which I have personally made from all officers and men whom I was told were likely to be able to throw any light on the subject.
I am satisfied that I now know all that I shall ever know unless either my son or any of his men survive as prisoners of war. I consider that there is a fair chance of this but I cannot say that there is any evidence of it. I may say that I have heard from various sources that the Germans are treating their prisoners and the wounded well. I understand that both the Government and the Red Cross have found great difficulty in finding out about prisoners up till now. So we do not expect to have further news for some time.
The action in question took place in Flanders half way between West Cappell and Vyfweg 12 miles inland from Dunkirk about 5 oclock in the afternoon. My son's platoon based on a farmhouse was the right platoon of his company on the flank from the enemy attack was expected and it was covering the rest of the company with which the remainder of the battalion was fighting a real guard action. My son's orders were to hold onto his position until things got too hot and then retire to the rest of the company.
His position in the afternoon became serious as his platoon was attacked by four tanks followed by infantry estimated by a survivor as a good deal more than a company. My son then decided to evacuate the position and to fall back on the company. He ordered his platoon sergeant to retire in a motor vehicle with all the platoon except nine men who were then engaging the enemy to cover the retreat of the rest of the platoon.
The sergeant with his party managed to rejoin the company without serious loss although two or three men were slightly wounded by machine gun fire from the ground and from enemy aeroplanes. Some of this party are returned to England I am afraid that the rest of this party were either killed or wounded in the main attack on the battalion which occured shortly afterwards in whcih some officers and 250 men were lost in the subsequent evacuation from Dunkirk.
None of those remaining with my son are returned. My son saw the sergeants party safely off in their motor vehicle and was last seen entering the farmhouse to get the rest of his men away in the other motor vehicle.
Nothing more is known except that from a distance it was seen that the farmhouse was being hit by shells mortars, which I understand always follow the German tanks who send for mortars if they encounter serious opposition. Subsequently it was seen that the farmhouse was on fire but it does not at all follow that my son and his men had not withdrawn from the house before this happened. We must just hope for the best.
My wife and I were comforted by the thought as I know you will be that if that was the end it was a gallant one and that our son and his platoon carried out successfully the important task they were entrusted with and worthily upheld the honour of their regiment and the brigade of guards.
The last man got away with the sergants party who I liked very much gave me an account of their last afternoon which it would interest you to hear.
The platoon arrived at the farmhouse at about 2:30pm their put out sentries and everyone washed and shaved and had a good meal. My son then found an abandoned motor vehicle full of clean underclothes and battle dress and as they were all rather dirty by then they changed out of their old clothes into new ones. They then turned on a small wireless set and waited for the enemy.
These simple facts helped my wife and I very much to visualise the whole thing and I thought you would like to hear them although they do not add anything very material to the story which I already told you.
My father Lance Corporal W. E. Phillips sadly passed away on September 3rd 1978. He never spoke much about events in the war but he was a prisoner of war for five years in Stalag XXA, POW number 10744. Any information about this camp would be appreciated. Brian Phillips
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Trooper Charles William Adams. British Army, 7th Tank Regiment Royal Armoured Corps. (d.29th May 1940) Charles William Adams was the son of Charles William and Ellen Adams of Jarrow. He died aged 23 during the evacuation of troops at Dunkirk. Charles is remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial. His name was missing off the old plaque in the Town Hall in Jarrow. Vin Mullen
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Sgt. Richard Henry Laidler. British Army, 507 Field Company Royal Engineers. (d.29th May 1940) Richard Laidler died aged 40. He was born in Jarrow in 1899, son of Alexander and Helen Laidler (nee Grey). He was the husband of Mary Eleanor Laidler (nee Gwynn) of Primrose Jarrow
Richard is remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial and is commemorated on the WW2 Roll of Honour Plaque in the entrance of Jarrow Town Hall. Vin Mullen
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L/Cpl. William Small. British Army, Royal Engineers. (d.29th May 1940) William Small was born in Jarrow in 1919, and died aged 20. He was the son of William and Annie Small (nee Young) of Jarrow.
He served with the the Royal Engineers HQ I Corps and is remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial and is commemorated on the WW2 Roll of Honour Plaque in the entrance of Jarrow Town Hall.Vin Mullen
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L/Sgt. James Casper. British Army, 6th Btn. King's Own Royal (Lancs) Rgt.. (d.29th May 1940) My father was a Lance Sergeant with the 6th Btn. The King's Own Royal Regiment. (He has been in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment prior to this.) He was killed in action on the retreat to Dunkirk. He was first buried by local people in the churchyard at Berthern but in 1979 his remains were transferred to the British War Grave Cemetery at Wimille, France. On my father's death my mother was left a widow with four young sons. I was the second eldest aged three years. My mother had to work so hard to keep us all together and so she too died young. My brothers and I were then fostered, so losing all trace of our family tree. Does anyone remember my father?Ronald Casper
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L/Bmdr Harold Edwin Jones. British Army, 55th L.A.A. Regiment, 163rd Bty. Royal Artillery. (d.29th May 1940) Harold Jones was the son of William and Selina Jones and husband of Winifred Anne Jones of Exmouth in Devon.
He was aged 41 when he died and is buried in the Skanland (Evenskjer) Cemetery in Norway.S Flynn
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Sgt. Harry Page. MiD. British Army, 5th Btn. Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment. (d.29th May 1940) Harry Page, was a Batman, a sergeant who perished at Dunkirk. A serving soldier under arms. I am the eldest Grandson and have his service medals which includes an oakleaf mentioned in despatches and will pass this on to my son, along with other information as I research him. John Watson
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Pte. John Joseph Allen Costall. British Army, 4th Btn. Cheshire Regiment. (d.29th May 1940) John Costall was born at Seacombe, Cheshire on 8th of July 1912, his parents were Robert Costall and Margaret Ann Costall (nee Logan.)
He had 5 brothers (3 older, 2 younger), and 3 sisters (all older).
He married Ethel May Adelaide Price in September 1933 in Birkenhead, Cheshire.
He's on the 1939 England and Wales Register with his wife Ethel as a Private in the Regular Army and is living at 16 Erskine Road, Poulton, Seacombe, Cheshire.
John was killed near Dunkirk, France on Wednesday, 29th of May 1940, aged 27. He is buried in Oye-Plage Communal Cemetery. Ingrid Price
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Gnr. Ian Hamilton Wood. British Army, 2nd Battery, 13th Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery. (d.29th May 1940) Ian Wood went missing and was presumed killed somewhere around La Basse near Lille on 29th of May 1940, just two days before his regiment was evacuated from France.
He was aged 39. His name is listed on the memorial to soldiers whose remains weren't found, located in the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Dunkirk.Sean Wood
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Pte. John Robert Milne. British Army, 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry. (d.29th May 1940) John Milne was my uncle. I have visited his grave in Rexpoede in France. I have no information as to how my uncle met his death but obviously he was making his way to Dunkirk at the time.Ian Beveridge
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2nd Lt Robert Fraser Reid. British Army , 4th Btn Cheshire Regiment . (d.29th May 1940) Robert Reid was my great uncle, whom I sadly never met as he died in action at age 21. He served with the 4th Battalion Cheshire Regiment in WW2 and died 29th of May 1940 age 21 at Dunkirk and is remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial. May he rest in peace
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L/Cpl. Joseph Frank Lisney. British Army, 4th Btn. Royal West Kent Regiment. (d.29th May 1940) Joseph Lisney served with the 4th Royal West Kent Regiment and lost his life in the Battle of France. Matthew Free
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